Mail-carrier.



H. T. SMITH.

MAIL CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 3, 1915.

Patented Dec 19,1916

2 SHEETS-SHEETI w I I v Attorneys H. .T. SMITH. MAIL CAR RIER.

APPLICAUON FILED NOV- 31 I915.

Patenfed Dec. 19,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Witnesses Attorneys HENRY THEORIIS SMITH, OF KENT, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-CARRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 19, 1916.

Application filed November 3, 1915. Serial No. 59,432.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY T. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kent, in the county of Stephenson and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Mail-Carrier, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is adapted to be used primarily in connection with rural mail delivery routes, for the purpose of affording a convenient means whereby material left by a postman in a mail boX adjacent the roadway may be transported to a distant dwelling, and whereby material from the dwelling may be carried to the roadway.

The invention aims to provide novel means for transporting mail and like material as above indicated and, further, to provide a novel signal mechanism adapted to be used in connection with the mail delivery apparatus. &

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices ofthat type to which the pres ent invention appertains.

With the above'and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described andclaimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 shows the invention in side elevation; Fig.

2 is a top plan; Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, lookingtoward the rear of the structure; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking toward the front of the structure; Fig. 5'is an elevation wherein appears the opposite end of the structurefrom that shown in Fig. 3; Fig-6 is a fragmental vertical sectional detail showing a portion of the rear support; Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views in elevation illustrating the signals in different positions; Fig. 9 is a perspective'showingv one of the frames which carries the'mail boxes.

In carrying out the present invention there is providedan' outer support embodying a post 1 upholding a platform 2 surrounded on three sides by a frame 3, the ends of which project beyond the rear edge of the platform as shown at 1. In the platform 2 adjacent its forward corners are fashioned openings 5.

The invention comprises a pair of vertically swinging main signals 6 preferably in the form of rigid flags, each signal 6 being attached to a vertically swinging arm or base 7' mounted to move within the openings 5 and pivoted as shown at 8 to the platform 2 and the frame 3.

The invention comprises a vertically swinging auxiliary signal 9 pivoted as shown at 10 to one side portion of the frame 3 which is carried by the platform 2. An operating member in the form of a plate 11 is disposed adjacent the rear edge of the platform 2 and is adapted to swing vertically, the plate llhaving a central opening 12 and being pivoted at its ends as shown at 14 to the ends 4 of the frame 3. Upstanding from the plate 11 is an arm 15 connected by a link 16 to the signal 9. Pivoted tothe upper edge of the plate 11 is an operating member 53 preferably in the form of a rod disposed on top of the platform 2, the rod being mounted to slide in one or more guides 54 carried by the platform.

The invention comprises an intermediate support 18 in the form of a post provided with diverging arms 19 the upper ends of which carry vertical shoes 20, the upper edges 21 of which are curved upwardly, se-

curing elements 22 being employed for attaching the shoes 20 to the ends of the arms 19. Y a

An inner-support is provided, the same.

of the yoke 27 isa sheave 28, a sheave 29 I being similarly mounted on the shaft 25. Carried by the ends of the shaft 25- are pulleys 30.

Journaled for rotation in the rear posts 23 adjacent their lower ends is a shaft 31 adapted to be rotated by means ofa crank r 32. Fixed to the shaft 31 and located between the posts 23 is a grooved'wheel 33.

A loop-shaped frame 34' is pivoted at its lower end as shown at 35 .to the posts 23,

the upper end of the frame 34: carrying a V sheave Pivoted to-the frame 34 isan arm 37 the forward end of which is adapted to engage with a rack 38 carried by one of the posts 23.

The means for actuating the mail boxes is in the form of a loopshaped flexible element 39, trained around a pulley 17 car ried by the post 1. The upper run of the flexible element 39 extends across the top of the sheave 29 on the shaft 25, across the top of the sheave 36 on the frame 34, around the wheel 33 on the shaft 31, the lower run of the flexible element being extended across the top of the sheave 28 on the shaft 26 and thence around the pulley 17 on the post 1.

The function of the frame 34 and the sheave 36 is to tighten up the flexible element 39, it being obvious that this operation may be carried out by engaging the arm 37 with successive teeth of the rack 38.

The invention comprises a pair of parallel flexible tracks 40, in the form of wires or cables. The forward ends of the tracks 40 are secured as indicated at 41 to the platform 2, the tracks 40 being extended rearwardly, between the. shoes 20 and the end portions of the arms 19 of the support 18. The flexible tracks 40 are extended over the pulleys 30 which are mounted on the ends of the shaft 25, the flexible elements being extended downwardly and being connected to the intermediate portions of vertically movable levers 42, fulcrumed at their forward ends as shown at 43 on the posts 24. In order to hold the levers 42 in adjusted positions, the upper edges of the levers are engaged by pins 45 adapted to be mounted successively in openings 44 formed in the posts 23. It will be understood that by swinging the levers 42 downwardly, and by mounting the pins 45 in certain of the openings 44, the flexible tracks 40 may be tightened up, the same sliding rearwardly over the pulleys 30, during the tightening operation.

The invention comprises a pair of frames connected, respectively, with the upper and lower runs of the flexible element 39 and constituting a means whereby the mail boxes may be moved inwardly and outwardly. Each frame comprises a pair of V-shaped end pieces 46, the angles of which ride along the tracks 40, the end pieces 46 being connected by a bottom bar 47 and by a bottom bar 48, the bottom bar 48 being extended to fashion a forwardly projecting'loop 50 and there being a forwardly projecting arm 49 formed at the apex of the foremost end piece 46.

The numeral 52 denotes a mail box, each mail box being provided with eyes 51 pivotally received on the looped portions 50 of the box supporting frames, the construction being such that the mail boxes may swing readily in the wind.

As indicated at 56, the bottom bars 47 of the box carrying frames are connected, re-

spectively, to the upper and lower runs of the flexible element 39.

It will now be understood that when the wheel 33 is rotated by means of the crank 32, the flexible element 39 will be actuated, one mail box 52 moving outwardly, as the other mail box moves inwardly. When one mail box moves outwardly, the arm 49 strikes the bar 7 of one main signal 6 and elevates the same into the position of Fig. 8, thus indicating to the mail-carrier that there is in the box, mail matter which is to be removed. So soon as the mail box 52 is retracted, the arm 49 moves from beneath the base portion 7 of the signal 6, the signal then swinging down into the position of Fig. 7.

Should the mail carrier'deposit mail in one of the boxes 52, he pushes upon the rod 53, thus swinging the operating member or plate 11 into depending position, whereupon the link 16 will swing the signal 9 into a vertical position as shown in Fig. 1, thus indicating to the occupants of a distant dwelling that there is mail in the box to be removed. When the mail box is drawn rearwardly, the rearmost V-shaped member 46 of the mail box frame engages with the depending plate or operating member 11, and the same is swung into an approximately horizontal position, the signal 9 being lowered.

The opening 12 in the plate 11 serves to receive the flexible element 39 whereby the mail boxes are actuated.

As the mail boxes are drawn inwardly or outwardly, the apices of the \/-shaped members 46 of the mail box frames ride upwardly over the curved edges 21 of the shoes 20. The flexible tracks 40 preferably are bound by the action of the securing elements 22 between the shoes 20 and the upper ends of the arms 19 of the support 18. The

securing elements 22 however, may be loosened, whereupon the tracks are tightened l up by means of the levers 42. The slack may be taken out of the forward portions of the tracks 40 whereupon the securing elements 22 may be tightened down so as to bind the tracks between the shoes 20 and the ends of the arms of the support 19. Subsequently, the slack may be taken out of the rear portions of the tracks, it being unnecessary to take the slack out of the entire lengths of the tracks in a single operation. I

It will be understood of course that the flexible element 39 and the tracks 40 may be of any desired length, as many supports 18 being employed as is considered necessary or expedient.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, spaced supports; an endless flexible element mounted to move with respect to the supports; a carrier actuated by the flexible element; a signal on one support and lying in the path of the carrier as the carrier is advanced; an actuating member manually movable into the path of the carrier as the carrier is retracted; and a signal operated by the actuating member.

2. In a device of the class described, spaced supports; an endless flexible element mounted to move With respect to the supports; a carrier actuated by the flexible element; a signal on one support and lying in the path of the carrier as the carrier is advanced; an actuating member manually movable into the path of the carrier as the carrier is retracted; a second signal pivoted to said support; and an operative connection between the actuating member and the second signal.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto fixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY THEORUS SMITH.

Witnesses:

ORIN W. DOW, A. L. HURD.

Copies of this natent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

